The goal of the proposed research is to investigate the neural basis for processing the syntactic form of sentences using functional neuroimaging based on positron emission tomography (PET). The specific aims are to use this approach to identify the areas of the brain that are involved in assigning different aspects of the syntactic structure of spoken and written sentences. The studies pursue results of a pilot study that indicates that certain aspects of syntactic processing activate pars opercularis of Broca's area. The studies make use of several experimental paradigms in order to provide converging evidence regarding the localization of syntactic processing.